Jack Layton to lie in state in Ottawa, Toronto ahead of Saturday funeral

Canadians hoping to pay their respects to the late NDP leader Jack Layton will get a pair of opportunities in Ottawa and Toronto this week.

A press release from Prime Minsiter Stephen Harper’s spokesman Dimitri Soudas confirmed media reports that Layton’s lying-in-state in the House of Commons foyer will be open to the public between 12:30 and 8 p.m. on Wednesday and from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Layton’s own constituents and others will also get a chance to visit the Toronto-Danforth MP as he lies in repose at Toronto City Hall on Friday, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and again Saturday from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m.

A full state funeral will follow, to be held at Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto at 2p.m., Saturday.

Tuesday, The Globe and Mail reported Layton had hoped his funeral would be a public “celebration of life,” quoting senior Layton aide Kathleen Monk as saying that the funeral should be ““used as an opportunity to build the movement, inspire people to work for change and create a better Canada.”

A state funeral, according to the Canadian Heritage website, is “a public event that may be held to honour and commemorate present and former governors general… prime ministers and sitting members of the Ministry.”

That list does not include members of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition, but Soudas said in another release Monday that Harper exercised his discretion in offering the honour to Layton’s wife, MP Olivia Chow, and she accepted.

“Canadians will have an opportunity to salute Jack Layton’s contribution to public life as well as offer their heartfelt condolences,” Monday’s release said.

State funerals are administered and organized by the Government of Canada, in conjunction with the family of the deceased. It does not necessarily have to take place in Ottawa. Former Governor General Romeo Leblanc received a state funeral in his home province of New Brunswick.

The sitting Governor General can also honour an individual with a state funeral, such as those held for the Unknown Soldier and Canada’s last recipient of the Victoria Cross, Ernest Smith.

The practice since Confederation has been for the Government of Canada to offer a state funeral to current and former governors general, current and former prime ministers and current members of cabinet.

On Tuesday, the NDP also announced that condolence books will be available at constituency offices across the country. Canadians are also invited to leave comments on the NDP’s website. In lieu of flowers, the party has asked that donations be made to the new Broadbent Institute.